Great thread
Like most have already mentioned, you have to want to do it. Just like smoking -- all the books and drugs and the world won't stop you from smoking if you don't want to quit.
I say there is two parts to overcoming this:
1) Normally you have to be in a comfortable situation in order to overcome that shyness, sig says you're the vice president of a car club? That's definitely a good start because it forces you to interact with others within the same realm -- It really can be difficult to randomly meet people with the same views and interests outside of a situation like that. This is one reason i love importatlanta, there is no other site that i can think of with the variety of people and between all the forums & threads then meets & events there's plenty of oppurtunities to easily interact with them.
2) Sometimes you just gotta have balls -- in the case of meeting women say in a grocery store for instance would you ever talk to one? You don't know them and they don't know you so what's it gonna hurt right? Not like you have to drop down on one knee or even ask them out or anything...just a simple statement, comment, or question works and see what kinda of feedback you get. I have chicks all the time call me just to tell me the pick up line someone just told them, normally laughing hysterically with the subject still standing there...lolol. That amuses me but don't do them. Just be yourself.
I hear ya, myspace can be incredible tool if used correctly -- without giving away too many secrets i've recently been shooting alot of concerts at small venues...chat with people here and there and i'll post a few pics up on the bands myspace page then the same ones I talked to see me on there and send a message wanting to meet up again. Honestly it's like fish in a bucket and I don't even have to initiate a single thing, search or browse for people. or anything! haha